Nakaya Nibs

Every Nakaya pen is provided standard with your choice of single-tone solid gold 14k nib in Super Extra Fine, Extra Fine, Fine, Fine Soft, Medium, Medium Soft, Broad, or Extra Broad. The Nakaya double-slit Music nib is available for an additional premium, as are nibs with Two-tone, Pink Gold, Rhodium, or Ruthenium plating.

Those who are used to writing with American or European-made fountain pens should be aware that Nakaya nibs, like those of most Japanese manufacturers, are rated at about a size finer than their Western counterparts, i.e., a Nakaya Medium is roughly equivalent to an American or European Fine.

Super Extra Fine, .10mm. An extremely fine nib which produces a minute line on the page. Only suited for writers with an unusually light touch. Traditionally used for very small numbers and characters or for bookkeeping.

Extra Fine (not imaged), .1mm. Creates a very fine line on the page, suitable for everyday usage for those with a very light touch.

Fine, .2 mm. Suitable for everyday usage and particularly useful for note-taking and other uses requiring a fine, consistent line.

Fine Soft, .2mm. Moderate flexibility allows for line-width variation by varying the pressure while writing. This nib is highly suitable for John's popular Spencerian customization, as well as the modification for added Flex.

Medium, .4mm. Smooth-writing and providing a consistent line on the page, this nib is an excellent choice for everyday usage and for those familiar with European Fine nib grades.

Medium Soft, .4mm. As with the Fine Soft above, moderate flexibility allows for line-width variation by varying pressure while writing. The optional customization for added Flex adds to the line-width variation that can be achieved with this nib.

Broad, .8mm. A smooth-writing nib for everyday usage, equivalent to a European Medium. This is the finest Nakaya nib that we can recommend as a starting point for customizations such as Stub, Cursive Italic, or Left Oblique.

Extra Broad, 1.0mm. Very smooth-writing and producing a broad line on the page, this is the recommended nib for most customizations other than the Spencerian or those involving Flex.

Music, 1.1mm. This is a true double slit Music nib with Stub-like line variation and a generous ink flow. Adds at least $100 to the cost of a pen, depending on the plating used - see the second Nib Prices chart below for details.

Plated and Two-Tone Nibs

Nakaya plated nibs, available at additional cost, utilize the same 14k solid gold core material as the standard single-tone nibs. The addition of this durable but ultra-thin plating layer does not affect the writing qualities of the nib.

Nib tipping sizes in Japanese characters

Not sure what tipping size you already have on your Nakaya pen? Compare the Japanese characters below to those inscribed on the face side of your nib, just below the 14k designation. Please note that the Nakaya Music nib is simply inscribed MUSIC in the Roman alphabet.